


Everything I Need

by jeweldancer



Series: Blind! Dean and Artist!Cas [2]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Blind!Dean, Destiel - Freeform, Hospital, Injury to character, M/M, Nurse is rude about Dean and Castiel's relationship, artist!Cas
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-08
Updated: 2015-07-08
Packaged: 2018-04-08 09:28:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,138
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4299561
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jeweldancer/pseuds/jeweldancer
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The parts in this series were inspired by the art of my-wayward-son-carry-on on Tumblr, who draws/writes about the Supernatural AU with Blind!Dean and Artist!Cas/Barista!Cas. You should check these out; they're fantastic! I put my stories on here so I could find them easily and because others seem to enjoy them; they've been the most popular works I've written.</p><p>So in this AU, Dean is blind from a childhood accident, he meets Castiel (an artist) who works in a coffee shop and they start dating. In this part, Castiel has pushed him out of the way of an oncoming car and gotten hit himself. Again, the ideas all originated from my-wayward-son-carry-on.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Everything I Need

Sam's steady presence had truly been a godsend during Cas's hospital stay. Sam would sit with Cas when Dean was too exhausted to sit up for another minute, and had to lean back in the awful hospital reclining chair for a few hours of troubled and uncomfortable sleep. He made sure Dean was eating enough, and he could not only listen calmly to the doctor's reports on Cas's condition, but was able to ask the important questions that would not have occurred to Dean until later. The doctors and nurses responded well to Sam; he was calmly authoritative and articulate, and he got far more respect from them than Dean would have on his own.

When the doctor entered the room on the fifth morning, Dean was regretful that Sam wasn't there. While the news was good--Cas would be going home that day--Dean feared that he would forget some important instruction that would endanger Cas's health. It was not until the doctor had left them for her next patient that the problem of finding a ride home occurred to him. He knew that if he called, Sam would come as soon as he could, but he'd already taken several days off to help, and Dean hated to think of him having to drive from the other side of town in afternoon traffic. He supposed they could call a cab, but it would cost a lot to take them back to the apartment, and Dean was afraid they would need the money for something else. 

As he weighed his options, he remembered that their neighbor, Anna, had offered them a ride when she visited Cas in the hospital the other day. Anna was a waitress at the neighborhood Italian restaurant, and played the cello in a local orchestra. Cas knew her much better than Dean did, but she was always kind, and Dean had grown fond of the sound of her cello next door. 

Dean wondered if he could actually call her up and remind her of the offer. He hated being beholden to anyone, and she might have only said that to be polite. 

"Dean?" Cas was stirring, voice raspy with sleep. Dean felt for the insulated cup of ice water on the bedside table and carefully guided the straw to Cas's lips. 

"How you feelin' this morning?" Dean asked softly.

"Better. Be a lot better when I can go home. All this beeping and weird hospital smell and nurses waking you up all the time. And those godawful ugly pictures on the walls. I gotta get outta here, Dean. Please take me home."

That settled it. Dean hated asking for help for himself, but he would crawl through broken glass on his hands and knees to get Cas what he needed. He pulled his phone out of his jacket pocket and dialed Anna.

She answered on the third ring, sounding concerned. "Dean? Is everything okay?"

"Everything's good, Anna. Umm...Cas is actually getting to go home today."

Anna's voice was warm as sunshine. "Wonderful! That's great news. Is your brother bringing you home or do you need a ride?"

"Well, I hate like hell to ask, but would you be able to drive us? It's okay if you can't, I just thought I'd ask, Sam really can't take another day off right now..."

"No problem at all. Today's my day off anyway. Just tell me when and where and I'll come."

Dean called Sam to let him know the news, and he promised to come to their apartment as soon as he left work. "I'll stop by the grocery store and pick up a few things. Do you want me to stay over tonight, just in case?" 

Dean replied that he thought everything would be fine, but they'd see how Cas was doing that evening before they decided. By the time he was released, however, Dean's nerves were so rattled that he wished he had called Sam and begged him to come immediately. The nurse going over the discharge instructions was kind of being an ass, subtly insinuating that Dean was not a fit caretaker. He should have been used to it; people had been underestimating him for as long as he'd been blind. But this time, Dean's worries about being able to care for Cas were messing with him, and he had started to seriously doubt himself.

"Will Mr. Novak have someone to supervise his care at home?" the nurse said snidely.

Dean straightened his shoulders and took a deep breath. "That would be me."

"I meant someone who can be responsible for medications and follow-up appointments. Perhaps I should arrange for a social worker to come by. I know you have the best intentions to help your friend, but it worries me that he has no family or girlfriend here."

Dean's blood was beginning to boil, but he put on his best calm smile. "I'm actually his boyfriend, and his family, and I am perfectly capable of taking care of whatever he needs. If there is something I can't do, I'll arrange for it to be done."

"What a shame. He's such a nice-looking boy," the nurse muttered under her breath.

Dean stiffened and retorted, "I'm blind, ma'am, but my hearing is just fine." It figured that he would get the nurse who was not only prejudiced about blind people, but a homophobe as well. He had wondered before how much staring and bullshit Cas had to endure when they walked around holding hands. Cas would never mention it, but it had to happen.

"Everything going okay, Dean?" Anna's calm presence suddenly permeated the air. "Are we about done here, or do we need to talk to Castiel's doctor?" 

"No, I think we're done here," Dean replied. The nurse huffed and called for someone to bring a wheelchair for Cas. 

Anna settled Cas in the passenger side and leaned the seat back. Dean slid into the back seat and placed his hand on Cas's shoulder. "We'll be home soon," he promised. Cas sighed and closed his eyes. Before they hit the interstate, Dean could hear his deep and even breathing as he slept.

"Dean, put on your seat belt."

"Sorry, sorry. I just...have trouble letting go of him." Dean leaned back and buckled up.

"It's understandable. Is there anything we need to pick up on the way home? What about his prescriptions?" Anna asked softly. 

"I'm going to send Sam for them when he gets home," Dean answered.

"Oh, Dean, what if he needs his pain meds before then? I'll drop you guys off at home and run down to the pharmacy."

"No, Anna! We've put you out enough."

"Dean, shush. It's no big deal. You guys have helped me out before."

"We fed your fish and watered your plants when you were out of town. It's not really the same thing."

But Anna wouldn't be dissuaded, and after gingerly transporting Cas out of the car, up a flight of stairs, and into bed, she set out for the pharmacy. She returned in forty-five minutes, filling the apartment with the sound of crinkling paper bags and the smell of Italian food. "I stopped by my work to pick you up a few things, so you won't have to worry about cooking. Lasagna for you, minestrone for Cas. I figured he wouldn't be up to chewing much." 

Anna arranged the medications on the counter and stuck shapes made of masking tape to the bottles so that Dean would know which was which.

"Anna, you are a lifesaver. When Cas is better, we're going to have you over to dinner. Like, once a week. You have no idea how much I appreciate all this."

Being at home seemed to perk Cas up a little bit. Dean and Anna propped him up in bed with pillows, and he joked with Anna as he ate his soup. He wasn't able to finish it, but it was more than he had eaten since the accident. By the time Sam arrived with the groceries Cas was asleep again, thanks to the pain pills. Sam greeted Anna warmly and patted Dean comfortingly on the shoulder. 

"What smells so good in the kitchen?"

"Anna brought lasagna. I think there's enough for both of us, if you're interested."

"I'm always interested. Come on and I'll show you what I bought, and you can tell me where you want everything."

Sam had bought all of Cas's favorite foods, and some of Dean's as well. Dean was overwhelmed that Sam would go to so much trouble for them, and also that he remembered what they both liked. "Sam...I don't know what to say. I..."

"Dean. It's okay. I'm your brother, we take care of each other, right? And if you want me to stay the night, I packed some stuff. I can stay as long as you want."

Dean wanted desperately for Sam to stay, but he didn't want to ask it. Cas was his boyfriend, and he needed to man up and take care of things. "I really appreciate it, Sam, but we'll be okay. You've done way too much already. I think I've got everything I need for Cas."

Sam's voice was understanding. "Oh, I'm not worried in the least about Cas. You'll take better care of him than anyone else could. I worry about you. I know you're scared shitless and exhausted, and you gotta promise me if you need anything you'll call me ASAP. Anytime, no matter what."

Dean was speechless, and Sam took advantage of this to say good night and gather his things. Anna decided to go home too, and after several reassurances to Dean that she would be right next door if he needed anything, they stepped into the hall and closed the apartment door. 

"Hard to leave them, isn't it?" Anna said knowingly. "Don't worry, I'll check in on them tomorrow morning. In fact, we should exchange numbers, in case they need anything."

Sam laughed softly. "I'm actually planning on sitting in my car for a little bit, just in case Dean has a crisis.

 

"Well, as long as you're going to hang out for a while anyway, why don't you come in? May as well be comfortable." 

"Um, yeah. I think I'll take you up on that."

 

"Cas? Is there anyplace you don't hurt?"

Cas considered this carefully through a pain pill-induced haze. It took a minute to match his body parts up with the sensations associated with them. "My right hand hurts least. And the top of my head."

Dean breathed out heavily. "Okay. I can work with that. Give me your right hand." Dean grasped it gently and rubbed circles on the back of Cas's hand with his thumb. Cas squeezed his hand back, more weakly than usual, and Dean felt a tightness in his chest. He nestled as close to Cas as he could without pressing against him.

"Now sleep. I'm taking care of you." Dean placed his other hand on Cas's head and stroked his hair gently. Cas made a soft humming sound, and Dean stopped for a moment. "You okay, Cas? Does that hurt?"

"No. Feels good." 

"Oh. Good." Dean kept on, enjoying the feel of Cas's feathery hair on his fingers. "Cas? I'm so glad you're gonna be okay. I'm gonna take really good care of you, all right? If there's anything you need, I want you to tell me so I can take care of it."

"Dean." Cas murmured. "Just relax. It's enough that you're here with me. That's all I need."

"Jesus, Cas. I wish I could be everything that you need. I don't deserve you."

Cas sighed and painfully propped himself up on one elbow. "Dean, why did you wait to have a heart to heart when I'm on narcotics? What's this about?" 

"I just got to thinking about...that nurse, and people staring when you're with me, and not being able to drive you to the hospital if you needed me to..."

"Dean. Shut up. One, who gives a fuck about that stupid nurse. She's obviously bitter and unhappy. Two, of course people stare at us, because you're hot. Three, if I need to go to the hospital we'll do like normal people and call a damn ambulance. You ARE everything I need and want. Now, I'm going to go back to sleep for a very long time."

Cas lay back on the pillows again. "if you could keep doing that thing with my hair, I'll be a very happy man."

Dean leaned over him again, kissed the top of his head, and resumed running his fingers through Cas's hair. They were finally home, in their own bed, and everything was as right with Dean's world as it could be at the moment.


End file.
